New England Patriots

BOSTON (CBS) – Each week 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Nick Cattles will bring you 10 things he noticed from the week in Fantasy Football, and how it will all help your team.

10) Their Top Receiver, Isn’t a “Receiver” – For all the names; Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson and even Darren Sproles, the New Orleans Saints best receiver is Jimmy Graham. Graham is second, SECOND, in the NFL in targets with 82, has 55 receptions, 791 yards and 5 TD’s. Graham has become a must have in next year’s drafts at the tight end position.

9) Not Buying It – I know, Shonn Greene has played well in the past month. He’s up near the top of rushing yards per game in the AFC. That’s all well and good, but Greene is still a matchup play who’s best suited as a #2 RB, at best, and a flex play most weeks.

8) A New Star in Dallas – It’s safe to say that Felix Jones’ opportunity to be a full-time NFL running back didn’t have a long timeline. As Jones sits out with yet another injury, DeMarco Murray continues to rip through opposing defenses. Murray has explosion and big play ability, again showcased by his 139 yards rushing on 22 carries (6.3 avg.) versus Seattle this past week.

7) The Curse Of Madden – For those of you who foolishly doubted the Madden Curse at any point during your lives, 2011 was another reminder of the doom it brings to the unfortunate souls on the cover. Peyton Hillis is officially useless to your roster. When on the field, he hasn’t done much. But the bigger problem is that Hillis can’t get on the field. The Progress Software Fantasy Football Show warned you before the year that Hillis would be overvalued, but even we couldn’t have predicted this disaster.

6) Running Back By Committee Knows No Bounds – New Orleans loves to run a variety of ball carriers at opposing defenses, that much is obvious. Even after drafting Mark Ingram in the first round this past year, they ran with Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles. When Ingram was ruled out, owners figured that the Saints would continue to roll out with Thomas and Sproles. But, of course owners were wrong. This is 2011 and NFL coaches will run whoever they can, be damned! This resulted in 15 carries from Chris Ivory, a back who had been on the PUP list until two weeks ago. Who knows what’s next?

5) Helu Worth A Look – Here’s a news flash, Washington’s offense isn’t good. Their best receiver is out for more than a month and they’re choosing between Rex Grossman and John Beck. However, two guys are worth playing in your leagues. First, is the obvious choice of TE Fred Davis. The second, flourished this past week with 14 receptions on 17 targets…His name? Roy Helu. Now will Helu be a stud and starter worthy every week? No. But, Beck or Grossman, whoever starts, will both being checking down an awful lot and Helu has the tools to make defenses pay. In PPR leagues, Helu is a legit flex option.

4) The Real Challenge Begins Now – Andy Dalton’s been OK. AJ Green’s been great. But now, for the Cincinnati Bengals, the fun truly begins. Over their final eight games of the season, the Bengals will play Pittsburgh twice, Baltimore twice and Houston. It’s about that time we figure out if Dalton and Green are ready for primetime or have feasted on a soft schedule.

3) Don’t Ring The Bell – OK, this is starting to get confusing. Chris Johnson had reached the point of being benched. This combined with the Tennessee coaching staff hinting towards a 50/50 split between Ringer and CJ. So, of course, this past week Johnson goes for 100+ total yards and Ringer got 5 touches.

2) Is There a New #1 RB in Green Bay? – Thoughts have been flying back and forth about the Green Bay running back situation and who is truly the number one. It’s been a committee situation for the most part, but this past week Starks had 13 carries vs. Grant’s four. Starks is also more trusted in short yardage and third down snaps. I’m not saying bank on Starks, but it certainly looks like his value in Green Bay has improved.

1) Oh, There’s Vincent! – Vincent Jackson owners have been waiting since an early week explosion for him to “come back”. Well, he certainly came back in a big way against the Packers this past Sunday. Is it any coincidence that Antonio Gates was as healthy as he’s been in a while? Nope. Jackson will continue to put up good numbers, as long as Rivers has more trustworthy options.